Todays Devotional
29 Stories Later
Feb 1, 2022
A more eligible bachelor you couldn’t find.
He came from a powerful and wealthy family. Known for his slick good looks and his towering height. And to top it off, he was a dutiful and mission minded son with a little self-deprecation for good measure. It was hard to find anything wrong with him.
And so began the story of the first king of Israel and vice-regent of the Hebrews. As time would march forward as did the armies of Israel led by Saul, it was clear something shifted. Saul dropped a connection, and it seems he never found it again. He spent his last years, roaming for a signal that would forever elude him. The debonair, dashing, dutiful son got lost in the maze of his mind and the high exposure, high altitude experience as king.
Todays Devotional
29 Stories Later
A more eligible bachelor you couldn’t find.
He came from a powerful and wealthy family. Known for his slick good looks and his towering height. And to top it off, he was a dutiful and mission minded son with a little self-deprecation for good measure. It was hard to find anything wrong with him.
And so began the story of the first king of Israel and vice-regent of the Hebrews. As time would march forward as did the armies of Israel led by Saul, it was clear something shifted. Saul dropped a connection, and it seems he never found it again. He spent his last years, roaming for a signal that would forever elude him. The debonair, dashing, dutiful son got lost in the maze of his mind and the high exposure, high altitude experience as king.
Our view of rich, successful, intelligent people almost always gets shattered to nothing when the news blares their demise.
Our view of rich, successful, intelligent people almost always gets shattered to nothing when the news blares their demise. And then when enough time has passed, our eyes look to the hills, to the platforms, to the stages for another king, queen or influencer to follow. Our appetite is insatiable. Only for that fulfilled desire to be shattered again. Then it’s wash our minds off the old, rinse and repeat with the new. Our feeble human minds are easily enamored with the imagery of success, beauty and rugged good looks. Interestingly, it would be the son of the second King, that would say: “ All is vanity”. The luxury apartment, the Rolex and the “Range”. The 300 foot yacht or the 7 cars in the multi-million dollar mansion in upper St.Andrew. It seems so real, so permanent, so eternal. But all is vanity. For in a fraction of a second one can lose their connection with reality and forget about how many people love them, follow them or adore them from afar.
Our minds are wired to create reality from whatever we focus on. Unfortunately this wiring can be hacked by the enemy of souls and lead us into an anxiety-driven depression. A state of mind like a crystal palace. Amazing to behold, but ever so easy to break. You know that friend that seems to have it all together, give her a call. You have that bro’ that has it all made, silver spoon from birth and all the ladies want a dip. Reach out to him. His life is not what he makes you believe it to be. Her successful practice, her highly specialized medical degree, stunning smile topped off with the glowing summer body isn’t sustaining the hole in her soul. Be a conduit of hope, a listening ear, a soft place to land. Our alpha, beta or any of our “yeah-man-i’m-good” friends are not as strong as they pretend to be. Saul definitely wasn’t and someone you know isn’t. Reach out. And don't just leave it at "Hi and bye", "I'm just checking in on you". Make the time to listen, take the time to help them process or to be an accountability partner and refer them to someone with the professional skills to help. You just might save a life, before they take it themselves.
Our view of rich, successful, intelligent people almost always gets shattered to nothing when the news blares their demise.
Our view of rich, successful, intelligent people almost always gets shattered to nothing when the news blares their demise. And then when enough time has passed, our eyes look to the hills, to the platforms, to the stages for another king, queen or influencer to follow. Our appetite is insatiable. Only for that fulfilled desire to be shattered again. Then it’s wash our minds off the old, rinse and repeat with the new. Our feeble human minds are easily enamored with the imagery of success, beauty and rugged good looks. Interestingly, it would be the son of the second King, that would say: “ All is vanity”. The luxury apartment, the Rolex and the “Range”. The 300 foot yacht or the 7 cars in the multi-million dollar mansion in upper St.Andrew. It seems so real, so permanent, so eternal. But all is vanity. For in a fraction of a second one can lose their connection with reality and forget about how many people love them, follow them or adore them from afar.
Our minds are wired to create reality from whatever we focus on. Unfortunately this wiring can be hacked by the enemy of souls and lead us into an anxiety-driven depression. A state of mind like a crystal palace. Amazing to behold, but ever so easy to break. You know that friend that seems to have it all together, give her a call. You have that bro’ that has it all made, silver spoon from birth and all the ladies want a dip. Reach out to him. His life is not what he makes you believe it to be. Her successful practice, her highly specialized medical degree, stunning smile topped off with the glowing summer body isn’t sustaining the hole in her soul. Be a conduit of hope, a listening ear, a soft place to land. Our alpha, beta or any of our “yeah-man-i’m-good” friends are not as strong as they pretend to be. Saul definitely wasn’t and someone you know isn’t. Reach out. And don't just leave it at "Hi and bye", "I'm just checking in on you". Make the time to listen, take the time to help them process or to be an accountability partner and refer them to someone with the professional skills to help. You just might save a life, before they take it themselves.
Key Text
‘How long, Lord? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me? How long must I wrestle with my thoughts and day after day have sorrow in my heart? How long will my enemy triumph over me? Look on me and answer, Lord my God. Give light to my eyes, or I will sleep in death, and my enemy will say, “I have overcome him,” and my foes will rejoice when I fall. But I trust in your unfailing love; my heart rejoices in your salvation. I will sing the Lord ’s praise, for he has been good to me.’
Psalms 13:1-6
Key Text
‘How long, Lord? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me? How long must I wrestle with my thoughts and day after day have sorrow in my heart? How long will my enemy triumph over me? Look on me and answer, Lord my God. Give light to my eyes, or I will sleep in death, and my enemy will say, “I have overcome him,” and my foes will rejoice when I fall. But I trust in your unfailing love; my heart rejoices in your salvation. I will sing the Lord ’s praise, for he has been good to me.’
Psalms 13:1-6
Profound! Beautifully written